Wind break



Dec. 28, 1965 v. N. ROOT WIND BREAK Filed Feb. 14, 1963 INVENTOR.

VICTOR N. ROOT ATTORN Y 3,226,091 WIND BREAK Victor N. Root, WheatRidge, Colo. (5830 E. 16th Ave., Denver, Colo. 80220) Filed Feb. 14,1963, Ser. No. 259,479 2 Claims. (Cl. 256-125) The present inventionrelates to a windbreak and, more particularly, to a fence that isdesigned to collect sand, dust and snow so that such materials may beprevented from clogging roadways and fields.

A main object of this invention is to provide a fence structure whichcan be erected in areas that are subject to serious wind erosion oralong roads and railroads that are often subjected to drifts of snow,sand and dust to prevent the undesirable collection of such materials.

In satisfaction of the main object of this invention, it is an object toprovide a windbreak that may be erected and placed at desired points sothat loose and blown materials will be collected by such windbreak.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fence which creates abeneficial air flow pattern so that loose blown materials will be piledand collected behind such fence.

A further object of this invention is to provide a windbreak that can beeconomically built and erected so that the collection features of suchwindbreak will be easily available to farmers, ranchers, railroads,utilities and highway users.

Another object of this invention is to provide an efiicient fence forgeneral windbreak uses that will control soil erosion and which willconserve moisture.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the appended description and drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a frontelevation showing the general pattern for an efiicient embodiment of thestructure,

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional elevation in enlarged detail showingfeatures of a portion of the fence as taken along the line 2-2 of FIG.1, and

FIG. 3 is a perspective drawing illustrating the blown materialscollecting functions of the curved and tilted fence.

Briefly stated, the present invention provides a fence or windbreakwhich may be used to stop and collect blown materials, such as sand,dust and snow, and which will slow the passage of wind across roadwaysand fields as necessary to prevent the blocking and erosion thereof. Apreferred embodiment of the fence construction includes a generallysolid fence or wall face made up of suitable structural materials andsupported by spaced posts in which the face of the fence is inclinedslightly into the wind with the line of the fence being disposed along acurve such that the face presents a concave surface engaging the wind.The substantially closed surface of the fence is disposed a slightdistance above the ground at intermediate points along the length of thefence so that the fence will create a beneficial air or wind fiowpattern about the fence which tends to deposit blown materials in pilesbehind the fence.

The detailed features of a preferred embodiment of the invention areshown in the accompanying figures, in which like components, such as thewindbreak 11, are given corresponding numbers for the purposes ofidentification. As seen in these figures, the fence or windbreak 11 maybe made of lumber or similar materials with separate panels 12 of a wallface 13 being joined to spaced support posts 14 in such manner that thewall face 13 presents a generally closed surface disposed toward thewind and in front of the supporting posts 14. The posts 14 may be set inpost holes dug in the earth, and it is pre- United States Patent3,226,091 Patented Dec. 28, 1965 ferred that such posts be disposedalong a longitudinally curved line so that the support post 16 at thecenter of a fence segment 11 will be downwind from the end posts 17 ofsuch fence. It is also preferred that all the posts 14 lean into thewind at a slight angle so that the wall face 13 made up of the panels 12will be slightly inclined into the wind.

When erected in this preferred manner, the fence 11 will present to thewind a forwardly inclined concave surface which tends to engage, holdand slow any wind flow directed thereagainst. While the wind is slowedby the fence, it is acknowledged that wind flow will spill over the topof the fence with a portion of such flow being drawn back toward theback side 21 of the fence due to the characteristic fluid flow patternfor a flat plate surface held transverse to a fluid stream fiow.

In order to prevent excess accumulation of loose blown materials againstthe base of the windbreak fence 11 on the back side thereof, it isdesirable to provide an alternate air flow path along at least a portionof the length of any fence segment. In the embodiment illustrated, a gap23 is provided at the base of the fence structure by interrupting thewall face 13 at a position slightly elevated above the ground line 22.This gap 23 permits a portion of the trapped wind to flow under thewindbreak so that accumulated loose materials will be moved away fromthe base of the fence. A portion of the flow coursing through the lowergap 23 is itself directed back toward the back side 21 of the fence 11by the mentioned fiat plate flow characteristics. The resulting air flowpattern, as illustrated in FIG. 2, beneficially collects loose materialswhich fall out of the slowed air stream in piles behind the fence 11. Ifthe collected materials are dust or sand, the accumulated piles of suchmaterials can be easily removed from their point of collection withoutdamage to the fence or without the necessity of moving the fence.Collected snow provides a reservoir of soil moisture or an increasedrunoff that can be used beneficially.

Since the size relationships of an air flow control member can be ofimportance, a further description of the illustrated embodiment isadvisable. The fence segment 11 shown is 96 feet in length, and thetotal height of the wall face 13 is 12 feet. The lower gap 23 providinga passage under the fence 11 can be on the order of 1 to 2 feet. In thepreferred construction, the posts 14 are all approximately of 6 x 6dimension and of adequate length so that they may be well secured in dugpost holes. Each of the posts is inclined forwardly approximately 1 footat the 12 foot elevation. For economy of construction the panels 12 areeach made of 4 x 8 foot panels of plywood butted each to each and nailedto the fence supporting posts 14. The lower panels 24 in positionsadjacent to the gap 23 may be of lesser width to provide the desiredwind gap 23. The concave curvature of the assembled fence 11 is suchthat the center post 16 is disposed approximately 3 feet behind the endposts 17 with all of the intermediate posts 14 being arranged on an arcintersecting the center and end posts.

A gap of approximately 1 to 2 feet is provided along the bottom of thefence and toward the center of the fence segment. This gap is,accordingly, from 4 to the total height of the fence wall for theconfiguration illustrated. In order to hold the large flat surfacerepresented by the fence wall 13 in its forwardly tilted position,dead-men or anchors 26 are disposed in front of the fence and cables 27are used to interconnect such anchors and the tops of spaced posts 14.Due to the relatively large closed surface presented to the wind by thefence wall 13, the anchors and cable should be of considerable strengthas necessary to hold the fence 11 in its desired forward leaning concaveconfiguration.

The forward leaning aspect and the longitudinal concave curvature forthe wall is provided so that the stream flow under the fence will beproperly balanced with respect to the air flow over the top of thefence. Since terrain conditions at the point of desired use can modifythe air flow pattern, minor variations in the forward leaning aspect orin the concave curvature for the windbreak may be made to properlybalance the air flow pattern for any particular terrain installation.The main consideration is to establish an air flow pattern about the topand bottom edges of the flat plate structure so that a substantialreverse fiow pattern directed toward the back side of the fence will beestablished.

The concave curvature might not be required in installations where thefence was of adequate length so that the escape of drifting materialspast the end of the fence would be inconsequential. The main purpose ofsuch concave curvature is to establish a flow pattern wherein the mainair flow will be directed or urged toward the center of the fence. Withsome terrain conditions this configuration can be highly beneficial inconfining damaging patterns to a controlled area.

In addition to the control of wind patterns and the further collectionof blown materials, the windbreak or fence disclosed herein has inherentadvantages over prior types of windbreaks. In dry land regions fences ofthe foregoing type may be used to prevent soil erosion in fields or toprotect roads and farm yards. The constructed fence will, in manyinstances, be more suitable for use in such regions than the tree beltsnow used and recommended. The culture of trees requires a lot of groundmoisture which might be more efficiently used for the culture of crops.The fence type windbreak herein disclosed does not consume moisture butcan tend to provide increased soil moisture adjacent to the fence by theexcess accumulation of driven snows along the back side of the fenceline.

While use of permanently set posts is illustrated, it should berecognized that the entire fence structure could be mounted on a sled orskid type support so that the fence could be moved for more economicalcontrol of Wind patterns that are seasonally or otherwise variable. Withthe sled construction, anchors would still be advisable.

While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, itshould be apparent that the invention is adaptable to variousmodifications and changes. All such modifications and changes areconsidered to be a part of this invention where within the reasonablelimits of the hereunto appended claims.

I claim:

1. A windbreak fence for the collection of air entrained loose blownmaterials through control of the air and wind stream flow patterns ofprevailing winds comprising a plurality of spaced apart support postsdisposed longitudinally along an arc of curvature that is concave withrespect to the direction of prevailing wind travel,

said posts further having the top free ends inclined forwardly into thedirection of prevailing winds, and a closed wall face fixed on saidposts with at least a portion of the lower edge of said wall face beingin position above the 5 supporting ground to provide a gap for thepassage of wind beneath said wall face and along the ground surface,said concave and forwardly inclined disposition for the posts and wallface providing an increased flow of air toward the central portions ofsaid fence and downwardly through the gap at the lower edge of said wallface to in part balance the wind stream fiow across the top and bottomedges of said wall face whereby said wall face acts in the manner of aflat plate surface disposed transversely to the direction of air flow tocreate eddy currents behind said wall face reducing the loose materialcarrying capacity of the wind stream flow and resulting in theaccumulation of deposits of said loose materials downstream from saidwindbreak.

2. A windbreak fence for the collection of air entrained loose blownmaterials through control of the air and wind stream flow patterns ofprevailing winds comprising a plurality of spaced apart support postsdisposed longitudinally along an arc of curvature that is concave withrespect to the direction of prevailing wind travel, said posts furtherhaving the top free ends inclined forwardly into the direction ofprevailing winds, and a closed wall face fixed on said posts with atleast a portion of the lower edge of said wall face intermediate theends of said fence being in position above the supporting ground adistance corresponding to to of the total height of such wall face toprovide a gap for the passage of wind beneath said wall face and alongthe ground surface, said concave and forwardly inclined disposition forthe posts and wall face providing an increased flow of air toward thecentral portions of said fence and downwardly through the gap at thelower edge of said wall face to in part balance the wind stream flowacross the top and bottom edges of said wall face whereby said wall faceacts in the manner of a flat plate surface disposed transversely to thedirection of air flow to create eddy currents behind said wall facereducing the loose material carrying capacity of the wind stream flowand resulting in the accumulation of deposits of said loose materialsdownstream from said windbreak.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 490,545 1/1893Dixson 256l2.5 731,320 6/1903 Newell 25612.5 1,006,796 10/1911 Rupp25612.5 1,582,574 4/1926 Carlson 256-12.5 2,740,613 4/ 1956 Berliner256--24 2,872,161 2/1959 Olson 25612.5 2,997,277 8/1961 Schwartz 256-19REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primary Examiner.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Examiner.

1. A WINDBREAK FENCE FOR THE COLLECTION OF AIR ENTRAINED LOOSE BLOWNMATERIALS THROUGH CONTROL OF THE AIR AND WIND STREAM FLOW PATTERNS OFPREVAILING WINDS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SPACED APART SUPORT POSTSDISPOSED LONGITUDINALLY ALONG AN ARC OF CURVATURE THAT IS CONCAVE WITHRESPECT TO THE DIRECTION OF PREVAILING WIND TRAVEL, SAID POSTS FURTHERHAVING THE TOP FREE ENDS INCLINED FORWARDLY INTO THE DIRECTION OFPREVAILING WINDS, AND A CLOSED WALL FACE FIXED ON SAID POSTS WITH ATLEAST A PORTION OF THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID WALL FACE BEING IN POSITIONABOVE THE SUPPORTING GROUND TO PROVIDE A GAP FOR THE PASSAGE OF WINDBENEATH SAID WALL FACE AND ALONG THE GROUND SURFACE, SAID CONCAVE ANDFORWARDLY INCLINED DISPOSITION FOR THE POSTS AND WALL FACE PROVIDING ANINCREASED FLOW OF AIR TOWARD THE CENTRAL PORTIONS OF SAID FENCE ANDDOWNWARDLY THROUGH THE GAP AT THE LOWER EDGE OF SIAD WALL FACE TO INPART BALANCE THE WIND STREAM FLOW ACROSS THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES OFSAID WALL FACE WHEREBY SAID WALL FACE ACTS IN THE MANNER OF A FLAT PLATESURFACE DISPOSED TRANSVERSELY TO THE DIRECTION OF AIR FLOW TO CREATEEDDY CURRENTS BEHIND SAID WALL FACE REDUCING THE LOSS MATERIAL CARRYINGCAPACITY OF THE WIND STREAM FLOW AND RESULTING IN THE ACCUMULATION OFDEPOSITS OF SAID LOOSE MATERIALS DOWNSTREAM FROM SAID WINDBREAK.